How do you describe God? He is loving, merciful, forgiving, a good Father, friend. It goes against the grain to say that he may not always answer prayer. But some requests seem to go unanswered. Words go up and hit the ceiling, never reaching the Heavenly realms.

There are great prayer warriors, you may know them, who always seem to have God’s ear. They pray and their petitions get answers. What do they have that the rest of us don’t?

In my childish nature, I think my good Father should give me what I want-without reserve. But according to John 15:7 there are conditions to answered prayer.
Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in youask and it will be done.“ Some translations may use the word abide instead of remain.
From the dictionary:

Abide means

To accept without objection

Accept or act in accordance with

To remain, lodge, dwell or encamp

Remain or abide in me: Using the above definition, if I accept Jesus without objection and without doubt, and His word lives, dwells, or remains in me, I act in accordance with it…my prayers will be answered.

My word remains in you: For God’s words to live, remain, or abide in me, it follows I have to know what his words are. They can’t dwell within me if I haven’t studied his teaching.

When Jesus’ word abides or dwells in me, my requests will conform to the Father’s will.
How will this happen? God’s word is not static. I am changed by it and this change causes my desires to conform to the Father’s will. (See Hebrews 4:12 for a picture of how this happens.) The prophet Isaiah says God’s word never returns to him empty. It accomplishes his purpose. (Isaiah 55:11)

Again in 1 John 3:21-22 I read that we will receive whatever we ask because we obey God and do the things that please Him.

God has promised to supply all of my needs. My job is to seek his kingdom and his righteousness first, before I begin making other requests. (Matthew 6:33)

It isn’t the thought that God is a strict parent, giving us what we want in response to following the rules. It’s the truth that we were created for God’s purpose, but on our own have a fallen nature. We crave things that are selfish and not in our best interest.

So remaining in Christ, craving his word, worshiping the Father puts his will in our hearts. Old habits and desires will be seen for what they are—sinful. What we ask will be in alignment with God’s will.

God always answers the prayers of his children.